Cat Clips--The Ducks

Please click on the photo above to watch the next episode in the "Cat Clips" series. In this wacky homage to Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds," Tipi and Honey decide to teach Tuck a lesson after he eats a huge amount of Halloween candy.

Cat Clips--The Big Woopie

Please click on the photo above to watch the next installment in the "Cat Clips" series. When Tuck discovers a box of Halloween costumes, the male cat dares him to test out the giant woopie cushion.

Cat Clips--Where's Honey?

Please click on the photo above to watch the next installment in the "Cat Clips" series. In this episode, Tipi, Tuck and the male cat search the house for clues relating to Honey's disappearance.

Cat Clips--British Bengal Birthday

Please click on the photo above to watch the next installment in the "Cat Clips" series. Tuck has a few surprises in store for his very first birthday. Thanks to fellow YouTubers twish1999 and GrandmaDorrie for supplying the great footage and voices for their cats Ollie, Eva and Meggie. And to 0hMyActualGod for supplying the voice of Eva.

Cat Clips--Secret Lair

Please click on the photo above to watch the next installment in the "Cat Clips" series. When Tipi finds a mysterious set of doors under the bed, Tuck and the male cat decide to investigate.

Cat Clips--Office Romance

Please click on the photo above to watch the next installment in the "Cat Clips" series. In this episode, the cats have a discussion about proper office etiquette.

Cat Clips--Paper Trail

Please click on the photo above to watch the next installment in the "Cat Clips" series. In this episode, Tipi and Tuck find a giant package of toilet paper, and decide to tear through it.

Cat Clips--Tuck in the Box

Please click on the photo above to watch the next installment in the "Cat Clips" series. In this episode, the cats discuss fashion, while Tipi plays with a string and Tuck investigates a box.

Cat Clips--Dismal Damsel

Please click on the photo above to watch the next installment in the "Cat Clips" series. In this episode, Tuck assumes the role of Detective Sam Spotted again, as he hunts down a missing damsel in distress---Tipi!

Dog Days--Turkey Talk

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Please click on the photo above to watch a special Thanksgiving episode of "Dog Days." In this episode, George and Lenny discuss how to catch a fresh turkey for Thanksgiving.

Cat Clips--ROFLMAO

Please click on the photo above to watch the next installment in the "Cat Clips" series. In this episode, Honey gets frustrated when Tipi, Tuck and the male cat keep talking to each other in acronyms.

Cat Clips--Fashion or Famine

Please click on the photo above to watch the next installment in the "Cat Clips" series. In this episode, Tipi introduces a new line of "Cat Clips" t-shirts and buttons, while Honey complains about her constant cravings.

Cat Clips--Time Traveler Tuck

Please click on the photo above to watch the next episode in the "Cat Clips" series called "Time Traveler Tuck." In this episode, Tuck discovers that the new litter box provides an exciting mode of transportation. Or does he?

Cat Clips--Kittens of the Caribbean

Please click on the photo above to watch the next episode in the "Cat Clips" series. In this episode, Tipi and Tuck disagree over who gets to play what role in their playdate presentation of "Kittens of the Caribbean."

Cat Clips--The Maltese Bengal

Please click on the photo above to watch the next episdoe in the "Cat Clips" series. In this episode, when Tuck hears scratching noises in the basement, he decides to do a little detective work to see what's causing it.

Cat Clips--Queen of Crazy

Please click on the photo above to watch the next installment in the "Cat Clips" series, called "Queen of Crazy." In this episode, Tipi's singing in the bathroom prompts another one of Honey's multiple personalities to emerge.

Cat Clips--The Dreamcatcher

Please click on the photo above to watch the next episode in the "Cat Clips" series, called "The Dreamcatcher." In this episode, another one of Honey's multiple personalities makes an appearance. This time it's the famous Dreamcatcher, Madame Olga Bellyvonskaya.

Cat Clips--Personality Plus

Please click on the photo above to watch the latest episode in the "Cat Clips" series, called "Personality Plus." In this episode, one of Honey's multiple personalities finally makes an appearance.

Cat Clips--Hide and Speak

Please click on the photo above to watch the next episode in the "Cat Clips" series. Synopsis: As part of his "training" to become a Guardian of the Magic Wand, the male cat tries to teach Tuck how to hide in plain sight.

Cat Clips--Magic Wand

Please click on the photo above to watch the next episode in the Cat Clips series, called "Magic Wand." In this episode, Honey tries to figure out the "secret" behind a Magic Wand the male cat and Tuck are playing with.

Cat Clips--Sunny & Share

Please click on the photo above to watch the next installment in the "Cat Clips" series. In this episode, the two older cats try to teach Tipi and Tuck a few things about sharing, with mixed results.

Dog Days--Snoop Doggy Dane

Please click on the photo above to watch the next installment in the "Dog Days" series, entitled "Snoopy Doggy Dane." In this episode, Two Great Danes discuss the best method for teaching a human how to do something.

Cat Clips--Fashion or Famine

Please click on the photo above to watch a very special episode of "Cat Clips." In this episode, Tipi introduces a new line of "Cat Clips" t-shirts and buttons, while Honey complains about her constant cravings.

Bird Bits--Crane Family Values

Please click on the photo above to watch a very special episode of "Bird Bits." This video is in response to Depfox, a fellow YouTuber, who asked me if I'd consider making an animal film that was a parody of his family. Always up for a challenge, I decided to give it a shot. So here is my parody of his YouTube Channel "Gay Family Values." In this episode, a family of cranes is on their way to Washington to participate in a March.

Cat Clips--History Lesson

Please click on the photo above to watch the final episode in the special five-part mini series on Honey's Birthday. Now that Honey's birthday is finally coming to an end, Tipi urges her to share some memories of her youth.

Cat Clips--Wheel of Fortune

Please click on the photo above to watch the next episode in the "Cat Clips" series. In this episode, Honey receives another oversized birthday present, but not the kind she expected. This video is the fourth in a mini-series of five videos covering Honey's birthday.

Cat Clips--CHOCOLATE!!!!

Please click on the photo above to watch the next episode in the "Cat Clips" series. After complaining about her lack of consumable birthday presents, Honey finally gets rewarded with something sweet. This video is the third in a mini-series of five videos covering Honey's birthday.

Cat Clips--Tower of Terror

Please click on the photo above to watch the next installment in the "Cat Clips" series. As Honey's second birthday present is revealed, she begins to sense a growing theme. This video is the second in a mini-series of five videos covering Honey's birthday.

Cat Clips--Honey's Birthday

Please click on the photo above to watch the first in a series of five special videos covering Honey's Birthday. In the first video, "Honey's Birthday," the cats begin to celebrate, but not before a few false starts. In each of the special birthday videos, a new winner of our recent Cat Clips contest is announced.

Cat Clips--Diet Device

Please click on the photo above to watch the next episode in the "Cat Clips" series. In this episode, Tipi and Tuck are scouring the office trash can, when they come upon a device that might help Honey lose some weight.

Cat Clips--Soccer Dance

Please click on the photo above to watch the next episode in the "Cat Clips" series. In this episode, Tipi and Tuck debate what kind of exercise they should do to work off a big breakfast.

The Road to Nostalgia is a Haunted Highway

On a recent road trip to Michigan for a family reunion, I decided to take a short side journey to visit my childhood home in Ohio. And though I’d been warned “you can never go home again,” it wasn’t as nostalgic as I thought it would be. In fact, the old neighborhood had grown so full of tall trees and massive shrubbery that I couldn’t even see my old house from the street. Not all of it anyway. The pines and maples my parents had planted way back in the sixties were now towering over the structure, surrounding it in a dark forest-like atmosphere that made it look more like Snow White’s cottage than a two story colonial. In my memory, the yard was always very open and the trees were much shorter and you could actually see the sky and clouds, and even lay out to get a tan. (Before we all learned that wasn’t such a great thing to do.) But now, it was rather dark and foreboding, and didn’t hold any of the charm I’d remembered from my youth.

So, after about ten minutes of staking out the old neighborhood, I continued my journey to Cleveland, which would be the halfway point and my rest stop for the evening. As a child, I remember countless trips to Cleveland every Christmas to visit the Twigbee Shop at the Terminal Tower Higbees, and then seeing all the touring companies of Broadway shows when they played at the Hanna theater downtown. So though Cleveland had always been somewhat of a joke among comedians when I was growing up, especially after the Cuyahoga River caught on fire, it would always hold a special place for me.

But again, like my old neighborhood, Cleveland almost seemed like a foreign country to me. The downtown area, which was usually busy on a normal weekday, seemed all but deserted when I arrived on a Wednesday afternoon. There were numerous stores that had been boarded up or were out of business, and the streets were pretty empty. There wasn’t a hustle or a bustle to be found anywhere. Even at five o’clock when most people would be hurrying to get home from a long day at work, there didn’t seem to be much action on the streets.

The next day, on my way to Michigan, I passed by a giant Uncle Sam on the highway. It reminded me of traveling across the country as a kid, and stopping at every tourist attraction that claimed to have the “world’s largest ball of string” or the “fattest chicken on record.” Finally, something from my youth that I could hold onto. I immediately pulled over and took some pictures.

Later the same day, I saw a “Big Boy” restaurant and stopped in for another possible trip down memory lane. As a youth, I’d always loved the Big Boy burgers and shakes, and all the comic books and toys you could get by going there. It became one of my family’s favorite haunts when we were on road trips. (Well, that and Stuckey’s, whose billboard signs along the roadway were notorious for enticing the tired traveler with their “world famous pecan logs” or souvenirs and novelties for the kids.) And though the Big Boy burger didn’t taste as great as I’d remembered, and there weren’t any comic books to be seen, it was nice to spend a little time in an atmosphere that reeked of good old-fashioned kitsch.

But the most memorable piece of the trip came when I happened to notice a sign along the Michigan highway that read “Prison Area. Please do not pick up any hitchhikers.” The very fact that they had to post such a sign was rather disturbing, as it obviously meant they’d not only had a huge problem with such occurrences in the past, but that it continued to be a touchy issue in the present. It also made me feel like there must be a preponderance of prison riots and breakouts in the area that would allow such hitchhikers to suddenly emerge on the highway at all. And if that wasn’t bad enough, there was a similar sign posted about two miles down the road, which meant the problem area must be growing. Whatever the reason for the signs, I didn’t stop or pull over for food for the next fifty miles, let alone pick up a hitchhiker (which I would never do anyway.)

So those are the highlights of my little road trip to the Midwest. Have you had any trips this summer that took you down your own memory lanes?

Cat Clips--Bedroom Bickering

Please click on the photo above to watch the next episode in the "Cat Clips" series, entitled "Bedroom Bickering." In this episode, the cats debate various topics while sitting atop a very high bed.

Trey’s Big Adventure and My Test of Faith

There are times in life that test our patience, our strength and our faith. And I don’t necessarily mean religious faith; but rather the kind of faith that everything will turn out as it should, if you just give it time. After all, isn’t that why we all keep going---to make sure that everything turns out as it should? (Or is it to stay one step ahead of our creditors? I can never remember which.) Anyway, this past week I went through three days of roller coaster emotions after one of my cats (Trey) decided he wanted to explore the universe outside the comforts of my yard.

It all began one morning when I went downstairs to feed the cats. It is our morning ritual—They wait at the top of the stairs for me to wake up, and then as soon as I make even the slightest movement toward the stairs, they fly down in leaps and bounds to be the first in the kitchen. And even though I didn’t see Trey among them that morning, I figured he might be sleeping somewhere and would certainly get aroused as soon as he heard the familiar sounds of food preparation.

But when Trey didn’t come running after all the other cats began gorging, I began to search his familiar hiding spots to see if he was just lazy, or perhaps even sick. After a very thorough half hour of searching, I began to panic. Where the heck could he be? Even his hiding places were empty.

And then it hit me. I had gone out late the night before to empty the trash, and perhaps he slipped out the door without me seeing him. As he is an all-black cat (except for a small patch of white on his neck), he can easily blend in with the dark areas of our backyard. And because he’s so fast, you don’t even notice him flying out underneath you until later when you happened to be glancing out the window and suddenly notice a familiar black cat happily prancing about outside.

In the past when this has happened, Trey usually stays in the backyard until I open the door to let him back in. The backyard is fenced in, and there are plenty of plants, trees, birds, bugs and catnip to amuse him while he’s out there, but I never let him out (intentionally) unless I’m back there to watch him. So on the few occasions when he has slipped out without me noticing, it’s always been somewhat of a shock, since I usually credit myself with having a keen sense of my surroundings. (Though perhaps since moving to the suburbs, my NYC skill set has become somewhat lax.)

So after searching through the many bushes and plants in the backyard, as well as the garage, I nervously began expanding my search through the front yard (which is not fenced in) and the neighbors yards. I brought along a bag of his favorite food and began shaking it, and after that didn’t work, I plugged the electric can opener into the outlet in the backyard, and began cranking it’s familiar “whirring” sound through a megaphone, in hopes this would bring Trey running. (The sound of the can opener always signals the opening of a tuna can. And no matter how asleep the cats are, or how far away, they always come running to the sound of the “whirring.”) Only this time, Trey did not come.

Nor did he show up that evening, or any of the following day. I called all the local shelters and the police station and the animal control center to let them know my cat was missing. And I also flooded the neighborhood with flyers offering a reward for the missing cat, and told all my neighbors to be on the lookout. But though I kept convincing myself that he would come back and all would be well, the fear of the unknown kept getting the better of me. What if he got hurt? What if he was picked up by someone? Or hit by a car and was laying on the road somewhere?

As my mind began to move to these darker thoughts, something inside kept telling me to stop putting those negative images out there. If I really wanted Trey to come back, I needed to believe that he would. That he was just off having an adventure somewhere and as soon as he got tired or hungry, he would find his way back to his happy little home.

That night, as I went to bed, my head was filled with thoughts of Trey. I tried mentally calling to him, hoping that there was some kind of telepathic connection I could forge with him, to help guide him home. I fell asleep, calling his name and turning on and off the can opener (in my mind, of course).

The next morning, I woke up at six am for some reason. The cats were all very happy to see my early rise, and scampered downstairs ahead of me to wait for their reward. But before laying out their food, I decided to glance out the back door just to see if any of the food I had put out the previous night had been eaten. The back door is constructed of a glass design that distorts anything you see through it, but that morning there was no mistaking the movement of a familiar black tail wagging on the other side.

As I tripped over myself to get the door open as fast as I could, my eyes started watering with the sheer joy of his return. I quickly unlocked the screen door and then opened it slowly as not to frighten him. And in he came, perky and peppy, as if he’d only been gone for five minutes.

But did I scold him or get mad? NO! I must have spent the next hour making sure he was all right, and petting him, and brushing him, and giving him so much attention, the other cats were probably considering their own temporary escape for a while. After all, if this is the kind of pampering you get when you return, it might be worth it to leave for a day or two. (That’s THEIR reasoning, by the way, not MINE.)

Anyway, Trey is back in the fold and everything is right with the world. (Well, not everything, but at least here in Plainfield.) So maybe if we all willed the world to be a better place, and went to sleep every night believing it to be so, then things might begin to look better. Considering the alternative, it’s a much healthier way to live.

But that’s just me. Have you ever had a similar experience?

Cat Clips--Of Flies & Sven

Please click on the photo above to watch the next episode in the "Cat Clips" series, entitled "Of Flies and Sven." In this episode, Honey encourages the male cat to act as her Svengali so she can be a more convincing schizophrenic, while Tipi and Tuck go fly hunting in the office.

Angela’s Back and Better Than Ever!

Over the July 4th holiday weekend, I had the extreme pleasure of watching Angela Lansbury perform on Broadway in the Noel Coward classic “Blithe Spirit.” And even better, I had tickets in front row center. How I was lucky enough to get these prime seats, I don’t know, as I only called up the night before to make reservations. But it was well worth the trip into the city, as the play itself is a classic bit of comic genius, and the rest of the cast (including Rupert Everett, Christine Ebersole and Jayne Atkinson) were equally superb.

In the play, Ms. Lansbury plays a somewhat questionable medium, who somehow manages to conjure up the dead wife (Ms. Ebersole) of Mr. Everett, much to the chagrin of his current wife (Ms. Atkinson). I’m sure you can imagine what ensues from there, complete with clever, witty dialogue provided by Mr. Coward. All in all, it was a great day at the theater, and a nice reminder of what a great actress Ms. Lansbury still remains, even in her eighties. (I’d actually seen her a couple years ago on Broadway, when she was in the tennis comedy “Deuce”…but that was not a great play, and she seemed to struggle with her lines in that one.) But with Noel Coward’s hilarious storyline as a backdrop, Ms. Lansbury shined brighter than ever.

The only thing I found a little odd is that Ms. Lansbury appeared to be wearing the exact same wig she’d worn as Mrs. Lovett in the original Broadway production of “Sweeney Todd.” Even had the same accent. Not sure if there was an intentional reference or whether it was pure coincidence, but the similarities were rather obvious. Other than that, the entire show was “like butter.”

The play closes later this month, so if you’ve been thinking of going to see it, you’d better hurry. Ms. Lansbury waits for no one.

FIND YOUR WAY--A Musical Mockery

It's still a tough economic climate out there, so it seemed like the perfect time for a little motivational song (even if it incorporates a little "tough love"). So please click on the photo above to watch the next video from the "Musical Mockery" series called "Find Your Way." It's a A humorous song to hopefully motivate those who are struggling during these troubling times.

Cat Clips--AmeriCAT Idol

Please click on the photo above to watch the next installment in the "Cat Clips" series, entitled "AmeriCAT Idol." In this episode, "Honey" tries to convince the male cat to begin their own talent competition for cats.

The Death of Icons

They say that major tragedies or deaths always come in threes, and this week proved that theory to be true. First, the passing away of Ed McMahon, a bigger-than-life personality with the signature laugh who made everyone comfortable becoming a couch potato. Then came the death of Farrah Fawcett, the quintessential female pin-up of all time and the reason most women feathered their hair in the seventies and eighties. And finally, last night, the announcement that Michael Jackson had passed away. This man, who was as controversial as he was talented, will always be remembered as the “King of Pop,” a title which no one will likely steal away from him any time soon.

Today, the world is a little sadder and a little less colorful without these three among us. But like most icons, they will live on in our imaginations, in our televisions and in our music for decades to come.

Cat Clips Father's Day Videos

Today we have two different Cat Clips videos that deal with the same issue---Tuck's desire to have a mentor/father figure.

Cat Clips--Parent Trap

In the first video, entitled "Parent Trap," Honey and the male cat discuss Tuck's future in the household. To watch this video, please click on the photo above.

Cat Clips--Father Figure

In the second video, entitled "Father Figure," the male cat and Tuck have their first mentoring session. To watch the video, please click on the photo above.

Why I Love Mary Murphy

For those of you who've never watched “So You Think You Can Dance,” you will probably not know who Mary Murphy is. And for those who have watched the show in the past, you might wonder why I choose to endorse a woman who is sometimes so loud and abrasive that her fellow judges must cover their ears for fear of losing their eardrums. Well, the answer is very simple…she has a passion for dance that is infectious.

And that is coming from someone who hated having to sit through Ballets and Dance Concerts when I was growing up. Not that I didn’t like to dance myself, but I didn’t really have an appreciation for the kind of control and strength a real dancer must have to perform such feats. In fact, it wasn’t until I started seriously working out and lifting weights in my twenties that I began to realize that dancers were sometimes more athletic in their movements than the more macho football and baseball players.

And that is what I find so fascinating about “So You Think You Can Dance.” The dancers are constantly thrown curveballs and new dance styles, and difficult choreographers (like Mia Michaels), and to see them succeed against unimaginable odds is like watching a really good Olympic competition. And some of the dance pieces are quite awe-inspiring. (And again, this from someone who never really appreciated the art of dance until a few years ago.)

Which brings us back to Mary Murphy. When I first caught the show while flipping channels several years ago, I thought it was just another pointless talent competition without much merit or credibility. Then, the next year I happened to catch another episode during the audition process, and was suddenly sucked into the behind-the-scenes stories of the dancers—their tragedies, hopes, dreams, etc. What can I say? I was hooked after that. And yet I still found one of the judges, Mary Murphy, to be quite obnoxious with all her yelling and cheering and constant use of catch phrases.

But as I began watching the show on a more regular basis, I began to warm up to Ms. Murphy because I realized how much she really cares about the people she is judging. Unlike some of the other guest judges on the show, who seem to get off on putting people down or showing off their arrogant intelligence, Mary has compassion and empathy for the dancers. She cries when she is emotionally touched by a dance number, or cheers when she is excited about a dancer’s progress. And you can see from the dancer’s faces how much they value her opinion and favor. She is like a big Mother Hen who coaches and cajoles her little offspring so they can eventually fly off on their own, as prepared as they can be for the cruel reality of a career in the arts.

And just when you think you can’t be shocked any more by the things that come out of her mouth, she suddenly blurted out a few weeks ago that “I can’t look surprised any more because the botox took care of that.” It was such an honest and revealing statement that I think it even caught her by surprise…as evidenced by how hard she laughed for the next few minutes (As did everyone else in the audience). But that’s how Mary is. She can be a tough critic when she thinks a dancer isn’t trying hard enough, or living up to their potential. But when someone succeeds with a genre they’ve never done before, or makes incredible progress as a dancer from week to week, she is the first to offer her praise and congratulations. And that’s why I love Mary Murphy. She’s a cheerleader for the underdog as well as the professional. As long as someone steps up to the plate, she is there to cheer you on. And don’t we all need a little more of that these days?

But that’s just me. What’s your take on Mary Murphy or “So You Think You Can Dance”?

Cat Clips--Two-Faced Trance

Please click on the photo above to watch the next installment in the "Cat Clips" series, entitled "Two Faced Trance." Synopsis: While Tipi and Tuck explore a website on Hypnosis, Honey decides she might have misjudged Tipi.

A special thanks to Debbie Lane of WisdomHypnosis.com for allowing me to use her great Stress Relief audio for this video. To hear the entire audio and experience your own free relaxation exercise, please visit Debbie's site at www.wisdomhypnosis.com

Cat Clips---Furs & the Fleas

Please click on the photo above to watch the next installment in the "Cat Clips" series. As Spring Fever begins to set in, the male cat decides it's time to talk to Tuck about the Furs and the Fleas.

The Trouble with Tony

The minute the Tony Awards started on Sunday night, I knew we were in trouble. Elton John’s microphone wasn’t turned on, so the first few notes of his song were sung into a black hole. This was only the beginning of what I felt was a poorly executed television program, with so many sound issues throughout, you’d think you were watching Amateur Night at the local Rotary Club. Especially when you constantly heard people talking offstage, or into microphones that shouldn’t have been turned on yet. But the worst moment came during the “Guys and Dolls” number when you could hear a technician talking offstage louder than you could hear the singer onstage. That was quickly corrected, thankfully, when the aforementioned tech ran onto the stage with the live microphone he had just been speaking into. INEXCUSABLE.

And then there were the endless musical numbers from shows that are out on tour, that we’ve already seen a million times. I mean, did the “Dancing Queen” number inspire anyone to get up off their butts and boogie? No.

I thought Neil Patrick Harris did a great job of holding it all together. His personality is very likeable, although I’m sure there’s a lot of stuff going on under that perfectly honed façade that’s probably pretty scary. No one is THAT nice.

The most disappointing moment for me was the choice of number from the musical “Billy Elliot.” This number DOES NOT do the show justice. Not that it isn’t impressive to watch someone that young take such command of the stage. But out of context, I don’t think Middle America will really make much of that number. In fact, the people who were initially turned off by the idea of a musical about a boy who wants to dance will probably not be swayed by what they saw on Sunday night. It was so poorly edited and presented that it didn’t make me want to spend the money to go see it. And that’s from someone who has already seen the show three times. (And believe me, it is well worth the investment and it rightfully deserved the title of "Best Musical." So don’t let the Tony number influence you negatively against this show---if it did. It is possibly one of the most grounded and emotionally charged musicals I’ve ever seen.)

Which brings me to the musical number from “Next to Normal,” which actually made me want to go see the show. I’d already heard good things about the show from friends, but was never really motivated yet to plunk down the money to get a ticket. I mean, a show about an emotionally disturbed woman and the toll it takes on her family is not exactly fodder for a fun evening out. But then I heard their voices, and I saw the commitment coming from the actors, and all of a sudden I was excited see this show. Finally, something that doesn’t run around in a costume or come pre-packaged from a movie or TV show. And that’s what the Tonys are supposed to do. Get you excited about going to see a live show, an experience unlike anything else in the world.

So, before I close, let’s not forget Liza Minelli, whose overzealous and perpetually bubbly personality makes me nervous every time I see her. In her heydey, she was spunky and funny and had a quirky personality that made her the life of the party. But now the party has run its course, and the band has gone home, and she’s still out there plugging away. I say retire from singing, because the voice just ain’t what it used to be. As for acting, there will always be roles for over-the-top people with bizarre affectations, so her career prospects are good. But come on, there’s only so many songs I want to hear that are sung with that many strained and missed notes. Even Stockard Channing sounded more on point, and I heard she was horrible in “Pal Joey.”

So though I’m glad they put a lot of money and effort into the production, I think they maybe strived to do too much with what they had. And yet, the show pulled in it’s best ratings since 2006, so who am I to judge? I’m just glad the Tonys are televised at all.

But that’s just me. What did you think of the Tony Awards?

Cat Clips--Tunnel Visions

Please click on the photo above to watch the next installment in the "Cat Clips" series, entitled "Tunnel Visions." In this episode, when Tipi and Tuck discover a new toy in the office, they begin to imagine it as many different things.

The Soaring Brilliance of "Up"

Last Friday night I went to see the new Disney/Pixar movie “Up,” and after the first ten minutes I’d already decided this film was an animated masterpiece. I won’t give anything away, but the first ten minutes is a little movie all in itself, and can only be described as one of the most touching animated sequences I’ve ever seen. I am still choked up just thinking about it, and I dare anyone not to feel the same.

Okay, moving on. The screening I saw was in 3D, which was pretty cool, although after a while you completely forget about it. (Unless, of course, you find the special glasses particularly uncomfortable.) The theater was packed with adults and kids and lots of teenagers. I was actually surprised at how many packs of teenage boys came together to see this film. When I was a kid, teenage boys would not be caught dead at a Disney film, but I guess Pixar has more of a “cool factor.”

I guess what I liked most about “Up” is how involved I got with the characters, and how much it mattered to me that they succeeded in their quest. I think this movie taps into a lot of emotional and thought-provoking ideas, and I applaud the creators at Pixar for making such a beautiful piece of art.

But that’s just me. What did you think of “Up”?

Cat Clips--Weaving the Web

Please click on the photo above to watch the next installment in the "Cat Clips" series, entitled "Weaving the Web." Synopsis: After "Honey" wakens from her nap, the male cat and Tuck form new alliances.

Pubescent Prowlers Perturb Proud Property Parent

One of the things I take great pride in these days is the grooming of my property. Particularly because of all the new flowers, plants and landscaping I’ve installed over the past three years. And though I spend most of my time in the backyard by the pool, I also make a point of keeping the front yard as colorful and vibrant as I can.

The neighborhood schoolchildren, however, seem to feel my front yard is their personal property to play on, climb over and tear up. During the winter, I don’t pay much attention to them, but come the Spring, when all the new growth is just starting to happen, I keep my eyes peeled every day at 2:30 to watch for the oncoming slaughter. And sure enough, the kids climb on my rock wall (potentially dangerous), cut through my yard, pull on my trees and pick through my flowers. I got so fed up one day that I opened the second story office window and screamed at them to get off my property.

Yes, I became “THAT GUY”---the guy you remember from your childhood who used to yell at you when you stepped on his grass. The annoying older neighbor who seemed to value his precious rose bushes more than your ability to have fun picking through them. And now I completely understand where “that guy” was coming from. After all, the neighborhood kids didn’t pay for all the mulch, and sod, and flowers and plants and trees and fertilizer and irrigation and watering and general upkeep. They just look at my yard as a fun place to play.

Naturally, I was going to do everything in my power can to put a stop to that. So I began sitting outside on my front stoop every day from 2:30 to 3:00 to make sure no one laid a foot on my stone wall or tore a branch from one of my newly blossoming trees. And for a few days, everything seemed to be fine. Then I began to get so bogged down by work, I couldn’t monitor the kids on a daily basis any more. Some time went by, and then one day I happened to be glancing out my office window, when I noticed that the local children had slipped into their usual bad habits. So once again, the window flew open and my screaming voice could be heard echoing throughout the land to “please stay off the grass, and stop pulling on the flowers.”

The kids, for the most part, listened to my pathetic pleading and stuck to the sidewalk for the next few weeks. But there were still a few who would try to sneak up on the wall, or cut through the yard. So for those few occasions, I tried to ignore it. Until one day, when I saw a little boy pick up one of the rocks on our stone wall and throw it on the pavement below him. Meanwhile, his much older sister, who was standing not three feet away, didn’t even try to stop him. (And he was even throwing the stone in her direction.) And when I came running out of the house to reprimand him for it, they both looked at me as if I was crazy.

That’s when I decided to take further action. I began taking pictures of the daily offenders from my office window. I figured I could send them to the Principal of the school, believing that if anyone had influence on these kids, it would be him. And one day, thankfully, I actually got a picture of a kid tearing up an entire bush of flowers. (Well, not thankfully for me, but thankfully for the necessary “evidence” of my complaint.) I sent the group of pictures, along with a well-written diatribe to the Principle, whose only response was “I’ll talk to the children.”

The next day, sure enough, I observed the principle standing in front of my house, waiting for the children to arrive. He spoke to them for about ten minutes on respecting other people’s property and how they shouldn’t cross the lawn. I heard many of the children answer that they never crossed the yard and didn’t know why I complained so much. One girl even began snapping her fingers in a triangle motion, no doubt berating me for having a yard at all.

The talk helped for a few days, perhaps even a week or two. Then the climbing and defacing began all over again. So now I sit on my front stoop again every day with my cell phone and a magazine, daring anyone to touch anything that even looks like foliage. I can’t wait until June when school is out, so I don’t have to constantly disrupt my day in order to defend the integrity of my property. But such is my life in the suburbs.

But that’s just me. Do you have any issues with little prowlers on your property? (And I’m not talking about the squirrel or raccoon kind.)